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Question: I’m aware that questions about race and religion are illegal at job interviews. What are some other inappropriate or illegal questions that I should look out for?

Answer: Despite efforts emphasised by our own Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices, some “illegal” questions are still being sneaked into many job interviews. A seemingly innocuous “Tell us more about yourself,” for instance, can lead to interviewees volunteering information that is otherwise illegal to acquire directly, such as their age, race, marital status and sexual orientation. However, since most people really do want the job, odds are that they would avoid saying anything that might jeopardise their chances of getting the job. As such, many interviewers get away with hovering along the lines of asking “illegal” questions, thereby perpetuating the practice of “illegal” interview questions. (Read More Here!)

Have you ever been faced with a situation at work that’s made you uncomfortable? Perhaps you’re assigned a project with a subject matter that goes against your values or beliefs. Or a client does or says something that seems unethical. Maybe you completely disagree with the viewpoint of your manager.

If you work in a field where you don’t have input into who your clients are or what projects you work on, you may one day be faced with one of these situations. If that happens, what should you do? You don’t want to go against your morals but you also don’t want to ruffle feathers or put your job in jeopardy.

Question:
My company recently terminated my employment without giving due notice. When I tried to seek an explanation from my superiors, they said that this immediate termination was due to my “unsatisfactory performance”. However, I feel that my dismissal is unwarranted as I have been meeting the expectations listed in my job description. What can I do?

Answer:
You’re probably seething with anger and indignation right now, but get your emotions under control as you’ll need a calm mind for what should be done next.